Translator: Nox

13 - Chapter 13

“Blissbury?”

Eloise wiped the flour remaining on her hands onto her apron, her eyes widening.

Mrs. Suberton glared at her for doing the work of maids, but Eloise desperately ignored her mother’s gaze and looked at Mr. Suberton.

“Yes. While organizing the bookshelves, I realized there were more books I had brought from Blissbury’s study than I thought. If it were just one or two, I might have entrusted them to a errand boy, but…”

Mr. Suberton trailed off.

Last summer, judging that it would be too difficult to go himself due to the heat, he had entrusted the books to a boy who did errands in the village.

The boy ran diligently with the books.

The problem was that he encountered a summer shower and, having never touched a book in his life, he didn’t know how ruined they would become if they got wet.

And that the book was a rare edition, hard to find even in the capital.

Mr. Suberton didn’t blame the boy. He simply regretted that a precious book had been damaged because of his mistake.

After that, he always made sure to return any books he had borrowed himself.

But today, it seemed he was thinking of entrusting the task to Eloise.

“I have an appointment in Cambon, you see. It will probably take about two days, but I want to return the books as soon as possible. Sergeant Thornton doesn’t seem to care much about these things, but it’s better to return them before there are any misunderstandings, don’t you think?”

Her father was right.

Lord Stanford had given permission to borrow books from the study, but from Sergeant Thornton’s point of view, it might look like someone was taking things from the mansion at will to decorate their house.

Eloise quickly took off her apron.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go.”

Her father had dedicated himself to Blissbury for years, and she didn’t want him to be misunderstood over a few books.

Besides, to be honest, she was glad to have an excuse to go to Blissbury.

“Dress properly before you go!”

Mrs. Suberton’s voice followed Eloise as she went up the stairs.

She had intended to do so even without her mother’s words.

Entering her room, Eloise thoroughly wiped away the traces of flour on her hands and face, then took out the best of her going-out dresses.

She brushed her hair, tied it up neatly, and put on a hat, and a flawless noblewoman stood before the mirror.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve dressed up like this.’

It seemed like the first time since she had been led to Cambon by her mother last fall.

Feeling awkward for no reason, Eloise adjusted her appearance in front of the mirror several times before going downstairs.

Several books that her father had found were placed on the table, and next to them was the apple pie she had baked with Emily a little while ago.

When Eloise came down, Mrs. Suberton examined her daughter’s attire from head to toe. Soon, a satisfied smile bloomed on Mrs. Suberton’s face. It was a pass.

“Good, you’re dressed neatly. More importantly, take the pies with you.”

“You mean three apple pies?”

Two for the family to eat, one for Emily to take, and three to share with the neighbors. She had made a total of six, and now she was being told to take three of them to Sergeant Thornton?

“Mrs. Parker says that Mr. Thornton doesn’t eat well. It seems that he is too tired from the long journey to eat properly. In times like these, it’s better to eat a lot of sweets to preserve your strength. Sergeant Thornton will be satisfied with the apple pie that Emily made.”

“I made half of them.”

Mrs. Suberton’s expression hardened at those words.

“What kind is it? We need to take it out right away.”

“Mother, I’m not that hopeless, am I?”

“But the pie you made last time was terrible, wasn’t it? Speaking of which, please stop doing the work of maids…”

“I’ll be back!”

Sensing that her mother’s nagging was about to begin in earnest, Eloise immediately grabbed the pies and went outside.

Thanks to Mr. Suberton having spoken in advance, the servant had prepared the curricle (a light and fast one-person carriage suitable for outdoor riding) that she enjoyed riding.

Eloise neatly arranged the pies in a box and the books her father had given her under the seat, then immediately climbed in and took the reins.

The horse seemed to know where Eloise wanted to go just from that, and began to move.

“Be sure to behave politely to Sergeant Thornton!”

Mrs. Suberton, who had belatedly followed her out, briefly abandoned etiquette and shouted loudly at her departing daughter’s back.

As if that shout was a signal, Eloise’s carriage began to run even faster.

“Really…”

Mrs. Suberton sighed as she watched her daughter disappear.

She only had one daughter. That was why Mrs. Suberton was even more anxious.

Twenty-six. In this place, it was not just missing the marriage market, but being completely unable to enter it.

Eloise herself was comfortable and happy and didn’t seem to think anything of it, but Mrs. Suberton’s heart was uneasy.

‘It would have been better if she had been raised in the capital.’

If she had gone to social gatherings full of people, she would have known many friends and other gentlemen to spend time with as she got older.

In this rural village, an unmarried woman could only live more quietly as she got older.

Could Eloise, who felt suffocated if she didn’t go outside even for a day, endure that life? And more than anything…

Mrs. Suberton turned her head. Her husband, coughing, was seen leaving the house.

She knew that her husband had told Eloise that he had an appointment in Cambon, but in fact, the person he was going to meet was Reverend Harrison.

‘It’s hard for him to go.’

Her husband’s health had noticeably deteriorated this winter. Perhaps he welcomed Sergeant Thornton because the work of the estate manager had become a bit too much for him.

Mrs. Suberton returned to her husband’s side and took his arm.

Mr. Suberton noticed his wife’s thoughtfulness at the light support and patted her hand.

Mrs. Suberton’s heart grew heavy. She and her husband would pass away before Eloise.

After that, who would be left by Eloise’s side?

Even if there were relatives they contacted and close villagers, it would be difficult for them to take care of Eloise like family. So…

“…I wish Eloise would get along with Sergeant Thornton.”

“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

Mr. Suberton was surprised and looked at his wife’s sudden lament.

“I didn’t know you were coveting Sergeant Thornton?”

Wasn’t that why his wife had told all the ladies in the village all the information about Sergeant Thornton?

“I did that because I wanted one of the young ladies in our village to catch Sergeant Thornton.”

“And not coveting him as a match for Eloise?”

Mrs. Suberton shook her head at her husband’s words.

“Look at Sergeant Thornton. Tall and handsome. He’s said to be from a collateral line of Lord Stanford, so he has a solid background… To be honest, why would someone with such qualifications necessarily…”

She couldn’t bring herself to say that her daughter was having a failing marriage, so she trailed off.

“So I’m thinking of targeting Sergeant Thornton’s other acquaintances. From what I can see, he’s quite trusted in the military… Then wouldn’t his close gentlemen come to Blissbury in the summer?”

“Hoo.”

Only then did Mr. Suberton realize his wife’s ambition.

Certainly, Sergeant Thornton was too good of a person. He was someone who could sell well in the capital’s marriage market even if he didn’t marry his daughter.

So it seemed that his wife had decided to find a gentleman among his acquaintances who would be suitable for Eloise, rather than targeting the less likely Sergeant Thornton.

“You’ve been planning something grand.”

“Of course. Did you think I had completely given up on Eloise’s marriage?”

Mrs. Suberton smiled and muttered as if passing by.

“Well, it would be better if it were just with Sergeant Thornton, though.”

“Huff!”

Ryan opened his eyes with a desperate breath. After blinking a few times, he looked at the ceiling, which he was now quite used to, and let out a long sigh.

“Haa… again…”

In his dream, he was standing in the middle of the Ingon Battle. The stupid orders from above, the colleagues looking at him with despair. The shelling that began. Blood and flesh splattering everywhere. And groans.

Then, at some point, everything became quiet. When he raised his head and looked around, the members of the Disciplinary Committee were staring at him with gleaming eyes in the darkness.

Among them, there was one pair of eyes that gleamed the sharpest.

Ryan knew who the owner of those eyes was.

The one who had wanted him to die more than anyone else in that battle…

“…Damn it.”

Just as his mood was about to sink into the mire again, he roughly threw off the blanket and got up from his seat.

His whole body was sticky with sweat from the nightmare.

He went to the window and pulled back the thick curtains. Then, a strong sunlight, almost like violence, washed over him.

After closing his eyes for a moment, he looked at the scenery beyond the window.

The same boring rural scenery as yesterday was unfolding.

After looking outside for a while, he turned his body.

When he went out into the hallway, a cart with food on it was placed in front of his room. It was a meal that Mrs. Parker had brought, worried that he wasn’t eating properly.

Swallowing his apologetic feelings, Ryan went out into the hallway.

Because on days when he had nightmares, he couldn’t eat anything.